[Nintendo Wii U] Wii U Review

At one point Nintendo was the king of consoles. Who could forget the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Nintendo 64? Who could possibly decrown the almighty Nintendo?
Well....Nintendo could. Nintendo has been in a spiraling decline since the glory days of the Nintendo 64. The Gamecube released and was actually more powerful than the PS2, and yet it failed to get the 3rd party support that the PS2 had. So how would Nintendo follow up with their next console? By releasing the Gamecube again!!!!!!! But this time they gave it a new mask and added some motion controllers. How long would it take for consumers to see through Nintendo's tricks? About as long as it took you to figure out the cheat in 100 pin Wii bowling!!!!!!

But with all of that said, why would anyone want to buy a console that still shares the tainted name that is the "Wii"? Continue reading to see if you are being tricked by Nintendo for a second time.

The rear of the console.
Power and sensor bar ports
2 USB ports
HDMI port

The console itself feels pretty sturdy. It looks similar to the original Wii, but it has more rounded edges and is longer in depth. Since the Wii U does not support Gamecube games, there are no external controller ports, or Gamecube memory card slots.

The Wii U also supports 25gb Blu-Ray based discs.

I purchased the 8gb model because I knew Nintendo allowed for external storage. I had a 16gb USB thumb drive laying around, so I decided to use that for now. Nintendo has stated that they recommend you do not go over 2TB, and that your external hard drive should have it's own power source.
You will want to power the Wii U down before plugging in the external storage. Once you power back on, you will be prompted on screen to format the drive so the Wii U can access it. Once you format the drive, you are done. You will know that the Wii U is reading the external drive by the blue hdd logo in the bottom left corner of the tablet screen.

The tablet controllerThis controller features a 6.2" touchscreen. This is easily the key feature of the Wii U. The controller has your standard buttons and dual analog sticks. It sports a front facing camera and a stylus tucked at the top of the controller. There is also a home button which acts the same as the PS3 and Xbox 360 center buttons. The tablet also has two speakers and a microphone.

This controller does have one button that no other gaming controllers have, the TVii button. This button will allow you to use your tablet to control your cable box and or TV without the need of any other remotes. Getting the tablet to connect to the cable box and tv was very easy to do. Simply follow the on screen steps and choose your cable provider, followed by your TV manufacturer. It is really as simple as that.

The tablet does more than just change your channels though, it allows you to access your Wii U without even turning your TV on. You can access your Miiverse, eShop, system settings, Netflix, and pretty much anything else the Wii U offers.

I decided to test out Netflix and I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the movies go from the tv, to your tablet. Once you press the swap button, the movie is immediately transferred to tablet without any delay.

The tablet also has a gyroscope and rumble feature.

Update - The gamepad seems to drain very quickly when you transfer the output from the TV, to your gamepad. You will pretty much want to keep the controller plugged in if you decide you want to play your games in bed or something.

The Operating system and apps
The Wii U OS is pretty similar to the 3DS and original Wii. You have 3 rows with 5 squares across which represent your channels. By pressing the right and left trigger buttons, you can scroll through 6 pages. The pages will remain empty until you download more games, apps, movies, etc.

When you first load up your console, you will notice that you already have the following apps. Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Video, YouTube, Miiverse, Mii maker, System Settings, Daily Log, and Parental Controls. Hulu Plus, Amazon Video, and YouTube are currently not available for use. Those services, and the TVii service, will be available sometime in December.

Miiverse is an interesting way to communicate with other Wii U users. Through Miiverse, you will find "Communities". These are tied in to specific games. Each game that is released for the Wii U, will have it's own community. Here you can chat with other players about the game you are playing. You will get a notification when someone replies to your question, or your answer.

You can click your "Activity Feed" to quickly locate all of your posts in case you forgot where you were last. You can also follow or send friend requests through these communities. There is also a "Search User" option to locate other users.

I have noticed that closing down some apps can take up to 10 seconds before getting back to the home page. Hopefully Nintendo will be able to speed this up with future updates.

The Miiverse is really everything you need for online communications. Messages and notifications are also viewed here. You can also take in game screenshots through Miiverse. While playing a game, go to your Miiverse and from there you will be able to take snapshots.

From what you have been reading so far, I assume you noticed that the friend codes are no longer being used. Nintendo has finally allowed you to create your own username which is locked to your console.

Mii MakerUnfortunately, the Mii Maker has not changed. It is exactly the same as the Wii and 3DS. I was really hoping for more realistic Mii's, but I guess Nintendo wanted to make sure your Mii would still work with original Wii titles.

eShopThe shop is nicely represented. There are plenty of retail games to purchase and download, but there are no demo's at this time. I also noticed that there are no classic games available yet.

OverallRight now I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised by well the system works. The tablet controller is more than just a gimmick seeing how I can use it with more than just the Wii U itself. I tested the tablet with Zombi U and Assassin's Creed 3, and I can see how this controller could be a huge selling point. Just being able to see a full map on screen while playing AC3, would make me choose this console over another. Zombi U takes it to a whole new level though. You can read all about it when I review the game later this week.

Is the Wii U perfect? Of course not. Could it replace your PS3 or Xbox 360? Maybe later on down the road, I do not think anyone should go sell their system and pick up a Wii U. But I do think the Wii U could be very successful and Nintendo may be able to redeem a portion of their once enormous reputation.

Cons:No trophy/achievement support
User ID is locked to console
eShop is lacking in content
Slight delay when closing apps
Tablet uses it's own charging power source
A huge firmware update during initial setup (takes 60-90mins)
Does not have a media player
Gamepad battery drains very quickly when playing games directly on to the device.

Note* This review is not finished and will be updated regularly. I had a much larger review written, but was accidentally deleted.

I couldn't get anything other than what appeared to be a document page for Wiiverse. Never worked. The OS is sluggish at least. Take the "tablet" battery life off the pro list too lol. 3.5 hours, 4 tops. The built in storage is extremely LOW for the 8GB version. Games that you have to look away from the tv sometimes are a little crude in that respect. Lack of exclusive games.. You can take "external storage" off the pro's list. Those games and content you buy will be locked to that console.

Honestly, the entire list of pro's can be taken down to the cons, except the backwards compatibility with the Wii, and having the pad controller. Those are the only two that are pro's right now, and the pad controller is more an "IF" than a pro; due to the mediocre battery life.

I couldn't get anything other than what appeared to be a document page for Wiiverse. Never worked. The OS is sluggish at least. Take the "tablet" battery life off the pro list too lol. 3.5 hours, 4 tops. The built in storage is extremely LOW for the 8GB version. Games that you have to look away from the tv sometimes are a little crude in that respect. Lack of exclusive games.. You can take "external storage" off the pro's list. Those games and content you buy will be locked to that console.

Honestly, the entire list of pro's can be taken down to the cons, except the backwards compatibility with the Wii, and having the pad controller. Those are the only two that are pro's right now, and the pad controller is more an "IF" than a pro; due to the mediocre battery life.

The Wii U tablet lasts about as long as the Vita. Seeing how the tablet has a larger screen and rumble, I have it on my pros list.

The external storage is also tied to your console. When you format the hard drive, it will only work with the console you formatted it to. This is what I was led to believe. After some Google searches, this is exactly how it is. The external storage is used for downloading games and is linked to the console. Why would I need it for another console? It is a pro that I am able to use my own storage rather than having to buy an over priced Nintendo hard drive.

The Miiverse has always worked for me and I have never had an issue with it.

The Wii U tablet lasts about as long as the Vita. Seeing how the tablet has a larger screen and rumble, I have it on my pros list.

The external storage is also tied to your console. When you format the hard drive, it will only work with the console you formatted it to. This is what I was led to believe. After some Google searches, this is exactly how it is. The external storage is used for downloading games and is linked to the console.

The Miiverse has always worked for me and I have never had an issue with it.

Lack of exclusive games? The console is a few days old...

Lasting as long as something else with poor battery life isn't a PRO lol. The rumble? You mean text message vibrations... Yes, the external is linked to the console.. the purchases that go on that external are LOCKED to that console. Meaning, if you had to replace it, you lose all that content you paid for. Having 2 first party games at launch is piss poor. The console isn't a few days old. It's been developed for a while now, as have the games that were launched with it.

Lasting as long as something else with poor battery life isn't a PRO lol. The rumble? You mean text message vibrations... Yes, the external is linked to the console.. the purchases that go on that external are LOCKED to that console. Meaning, if you had to replace it, you lose all that content you paid for.

A Pro to me does not have to be a pro for you. You are more than welcome to write up a review. By the way you are knocking it, it seems you are trying to make this console worse than it really is.

I'm more than capable of commenting on the information you are posting. Nothing wrong with that.

How is the battery life of a LARGE area (meaning space to equip a decent battery), that has to power the controller, a screen, and a wifi chip, good at such a low amount of time?
The rumble is pathetic. It feels like a phone receiving notifications on vibrate.
Linking purchases and ID's to a console, and can't be transferred, is a 100% CON. That leaves the external storage option walking a thin line. While the ability to use the external storage is actually a good idea, Nintendo erases that with the Net ID and purchases that will be on that storage, locked to the console it was created on, and the one where purchases were done.

I liked the console for sure. The pad was a brilliant addition for what it can do, and the Mario Bros game is $#@!ing brilliant. However, the small area of a + list are overshadowed by the lackluster things that Nintendo threw into the mix.

Update - The gamepad seems to drain very quickly when you transfer the output from the TV, to your gamepad. You will pretty much want to keep the controller plugged in if you decide you want to play your games in bed or something.

I probably could have saved battery life by adjusting the brightness, and turning off the rumble feature.

Exactly. Same reason why I didn't buy the original Wii. I'm not buying outdated hardware at premium prices just for the love of Nintendo characters/games. I'll wait until the prices have plummeted(where they should be), just like the Wii prices have, before I purchase. Never was a fan of gimmicky controllers or interfaces either. I'd much rather have a standard controller in my hand. If Nintendo would get back into their pre-Wii frame of mind, ala Gamecube, I'd be stoked.

Exactly. Same reason why I didn't buy the original Wii. I'm not buying outdated hardware at premium prices just for the love of Nintendo characters/games. I'll wait until the prices have plummeted(where they should be), just like the Wii prices have, before I purchase. Never was a fan of gimmicky controllers or interfaces either. I'd much rather have a standard controller in my hand. If Nintendo would get back into their pre-Wii frame of mind, ala Gamecube, I'd be stoked.

This is no gimmicky controller. It is completely bad ass and I bet it is the start of trend for all consoles.

This is no gimmicky controller. It is completely bad ass and I bet it is the start of trend for all consoles.

I bought the Wii U mostly for Mario, Zelda, and Metroid.

I bought my 360 for Halo and Gears.

I bought my PS3 to be my trophy whoring machine.

You know, I never cared for achievements/trophies. But I love what they've done with Miiverse! Whether its just posting that you collected all the star coins of a certain stage in NSMBU, or posting a screenshot of a particular feat, you're not getting just some arbitrary score. I like the fact when you share it, it's not there for show, so to speak. People get to reply and you can converse about whatever.

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